Cushioning device for independently-movable car-bodies.



W. P. BETTENDORF, DEGD. J. w. amrmmonr, ADMINISTRATOR.

UUSHIONIING DEVICE FOR INDEPENDENTLY MOVABLE GAR BODIES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1910.

. Patented Jan. '20, 1914. 2259'. 2.

, iwamfiezz wf I V snares PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P, BETTENDORF, OF BETTENDORF, IOWA; J. W. BETTENDORF ADMINIS- TRA'I'OR 0F SAID WILLIAM P. BE'ITENDORF, DECEASED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

Application filed May 23, 1910. Serial No. 562,923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM P. Bnrrnl noun, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bettendorf, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cushioning Devices for Independently-Movable' Car-Bodies, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide means for cushioning and automatically returning to their original positions the bodies of railway carshaving a slight longitudinal movement independent of the underframe.

A further object of my invention is to combine means for utilizing the weight of the car-body and the cushioning elements in one mechanical movement.

Yet anotherobject is to enable these functions to be accomplished without resorting to any unusual construction of the underframe elements, excepting possibly the ends of the bolsters. This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fully described and as particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of a fragmentary portion of the tank car taken in the transverse plane of the bolster-s,

and showing the end of the body-bolster invertical section. Fig. 2 is an end view of one-half portion of the tank car embodying my improvement. the saddle for said tank car and adjacent portions of other underframe members.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the tank of a tank car, although it will be apparent from the following description of my invention that, with the exception of slight changes, they could be applied to acar-body having a flat bottom.

B represents a suitable saddle-plate in which said tank is securely seated by riveting or otherwise. This saddle-plate extends from one side of the car to the other and is nearly as long as the body-bolster C. and at its ends it is provided with webs or flanges a that extend at a downward angle therefrmn a short distance, and converge toward and merge into suitable bosses Z), 6, between which latter their lower portions are recessed to provide room for two segmental shaped rockers D. Each of these rockers, preferably, consists of two parallel segmental webs the curved edges of which are connected by a suitable tread, which latter is Fig.3 is a plan view of' verse teeth that engage and are supported upon the transverse teeth d in the bottom of transverse channels, e, made in the body-bolsters C near the ends thereof, and the curved treads of these rockers are struck from a center, the radius of which is greater than the radius from the center of the bolt 0 to the center of length of said curved tread. As a consequence of this construction when the tank or car-body A moves longitudinally in either direction, the full movement of rockers D will raise the tank a suitable .distance, and the force that causes the tank to move longitudinally independent of the bolsters, will exhaust itself in lifting the tank.

Gravity which causes the automatic return of the car-body to its normal posit-ion is assisted by means of coiled springs F, one of which is employed in connection with each'rocker. There is an elongated .opening J 'in the center of length of each channel a, and the shaft of the inverted eyebolt E extends down through opening D in the tread of the rocker and down through said opening J, into a cylindrical chamber in the end of the bolster below said channel, and is there surrounded by said coiled spring, which is retained thereon by means ofa suitable washer G secured on the lower end of the bolt by nut h. When the rockers move in either longitudinal direction these springs, I are compressed between said washers and the underside of the bottom of the channel, and resist said movement and their subsequent expansion assists in restor ing the rocker and car-body to their positions of rest. This construction also efi'ectually prevents excessive longitudinal movement of the body or tank independent of the underfra-me owing to the fact that'in the event of the springs F being entirely com-- pressed the eye-bolt E will act as a tie and retain the'tank on the underframe.

What I claim as new is 1. The combination with an underframe, a suitable car-body capable of a slight longitudinal *movement independent of said underframe, of rockers that raise said carbody during said longitudinal movement and the pivots of which are connected to said car-body and rest upon and engage said underframe, and meansoperatively connected to said car-body for limiting the l0I1'-' gitudinal movement thereof.

2. The combination with an underframe, a suitable car-body capable of a slight longitudinal movement independent of said underframe, of rockers the pivots of which are connected to said car-body and support the same, which rockers have their treads eccentric to their pivots and rest upon and engage said underframe, and means operarockers the pivots of which are connected to said car-body and support the same, which rockers have their treads eccentric to their pivots and rest upon and engage said underframe, and means operatively connected to said car-body for limiting the longitudinal movement thereof.

5. The'combination with an underframe, a suitable car-body capable of a slight longitudinal movement independent of said underframe, of rockers that raise said carbody during said longitudinal movement the axes of which are pivotally connected to said body, distinct means operatively connected to said car-body including springs for returning said rockers to their original positions which latter. rest upon and engage said underframe, and a device for limiting the longitudinal movement thereof.

6. The combination .With an underframe, a suitable car-body capable of a slight longitudinal movement lndependent of said underframe, of rockers the axes of which are 'pivotally connected to said car-body and support the same, the treads of said rockers being eccentric to their pivots, springs for returning said rockers to their original positions which latter rest upon and engage said underframe, and a device engaged by said spring for limiting the longitudinal movement of the car-body. 3 7. The combination with an underframg, a suitable car-body capable of a slight longitudinal movement independent of said underframe, and body-bolsters therefor, of rockers pivotally connected to and supporting said car-bodyand adapted to rock on the ends of said bolsters, and means operatively connected to said car-body for limiting the longitudinal movement thereof.

8. The combination with an underframe, a suitable car-body capable of a slight 1on gitudinal movement independent of said underframe, and body-bolsters therefor having transverse channels in their ends, of rockers pivotally connected to and supporting said car-body and adapted to rock in the said channels of said body-bolsters, and means operatively connected to said carbody for limiting the longitudinal movement thereof.

9. The combination with an underframe, a suitable car-body capable of a slight longitudinal movement independent of said underframe, and body-bolsters therefor that have a transverse rack on each end, of rockers pivotally connected to and supporting said car-body and having their curved treads provided with teeth that engage said rack, and means operativelyconnected to said car body for limiting the longitudinal movement thereof.

10. The combination with an underfr'amea suitable car-body capable of a slight longitudinal movement independent of saidunderframe, of body-bolsters therefor that have a transverse channel in each end, the bottom of which is provided with a transverse series of cogs, rockers pivotally connected to and supporting said ear-body and having their curved treads provided with cogs that engage those in the botoms of said channels, and means operatively connected to said car-body for limiting the longitudinal movement thereof.

11. The combination with an underframe a suitable car-body capable of a slight l0ngitudinal movement independent of said underframe, of body-bolsters therefor, automatically returnable rockers pivotally con-' nected to and supporting said car-body and adapted to rock on the ends of said .bolsters, and means operativelyconnected to said carbody for limiting the longitudinal movement thereof.

12. The combination with an underframe a suitable car-body capable of a slight longitudinal movementindependent of said uned to rockin the said channels of the bolster,

and means operatively connected to said carbody for llmlting the longitudinal movement thereof.

13. The combination with an 'underframe 14. The'combination with a suitable car-r body capable of a slight longitudinal movement independent of its underframe, of body-bolsters, rockers pivotally connected to and supporting the'said car-body and adapted to rock on the ends of said bolsters, eyebolts whose upper ends engage the pivotal members of said rockers and whose lower ends extend into the ends of said bolsters,

and springs of said bolts.

15. The combination with a suitable carsurrounding the retained ends body capable of'a slight longitudinal movement independent of its underframe, of"

body-bolsters, rockers, the curved treads of which are eccentric to the pivotal centers of said rockers, pivotally connected to and supporting the said car-body and adapted" to rock on the ends iof said bolsters, eye-bolts whose upper ends engage the pivotal members of said rockers and whose lower ends extend into the ends of said bolsters, and

springs surrounding the retained ends of said bolts;

16. The combination with a suitable carbody capable of a slight longitudinal move-- ment independent of its 'underframe, of body-bolsters haying transverse channels in their ends, tliiel bottoms of which are provided with cogs, and rockers pivotally connected to and supporting said ear-body, the curved treads of which are eccentric to their pivots and are provided with cogs that engage the cogs in said channels, eye-bolts the upper ends of which engage the pivots of said rockers and the loweriends of which extend through suitable openings in the bottom of said channels, and springs surrounding said eye-bolts below sald openings-.-

17.The combination with an under-frame, a superposed car-body capable of aslight longitudinal movement independent of said underframe', and a transverse member to which said car-body is secured, of rockers that are pivotally secured to said transversemember.

18. The combination with an underframe, a; superposed car-body capable of a slight longitudinal movement independent of said underfra'me, and a transverse member con- J nected to said car-body, and having pivotal devices at each end thereof, of rockers that ai'e pivoted to the pivotal devices of said transverse-member.

19. In a car the combination with an underframe, a superposed tankcapable of a slight longitudinal movement independent of said'underframe, and a transverse saddle member in which said tank is seated having pivotal devices depending from the ends thereof, of rockers that are pivotally connected to the depending pivotal devices of said transverse-member.

Iii witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of May, 1910.

WILLIAM P. BETTENDORF. Witnesses:

A. B. FRENFR, O. C. STAB 

